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OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 1, 2012) - Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, today announced that the Canada Revenue Agency will consult with small and medium-sized businesses during the month of November to discuss the implementation of specific measures included in the Red Tape Reduction Action Plan.

"Our Government's Red Tape Reduction Action Plan identifies broad areas of improvement. As we move to implement this plan, we want to ensure that our priorities reflect the needs of the business community," said MP McLeod. "Our Government is committed to getting it right when it comes to cutting red tape and maintaining good lines of communication with businesses."

The consultations will include participants from different types of small and medium-sized businesses, and will address their specific needs in areas such as reporting obligations, usage and availability of online services, and information requirements across federal departments and other levels of governments.

"It is important for CRA to hear from small business owners and their representatives to learn how they can work better with them, and so these consultations are a good start," said Corinne Pohlmann, Vice-president of National Affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. "If CRA implements changes based on what they heard that help reduce red tape and improve service at CRA, we hope it will have a tangible impact on Canadian small businesses."

The sessions will be held across Canada in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax. Participants will be invited through business associations and organizations.

The Harper Government established the Red Tape Reduction Commission in January 2011 to identify irritants to small businesses that result from federal government rules and regulations. In October 2012, the Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board, unveiled the Red Tape Reduction Action Plan, an ambitious plan to cut red tape that will further free up business to invest in jobs and growth and cement Canada's reputation as one of the best places in the world to do business. The CRA contributed to the plan and the drive to address the irritants has already begun. While some of the measures have already been implemented, others require further consultation with businesses.

For more information on Red Tape Reduction, visit www.cra.gc.ca/redtapereduction or call 1-800-959-5525.

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Cathy McLeod, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, announced today that the Canada Revenue Agency will be starting consultations with key small and medium-sized business stakeholders to focus on the specific needs of small businesses. The sessions will focus on specific topics such as reporting obligations, usage and availability of online services, and duplication of information requirements across federal departments and other levels of government. They are expected to run in 6 cities.

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